It is as rain to the wilting crop; blankets to the winter sleeper; deep-dish pizza to NJ Governor Chris Christie.
It is football to the crazed fans of our fair county.
The three month pigskin potlatch, football fiesta and gridiron gorge-out gets underway for local squads this Friday.
In fact, all three teams will be staying in the county for their openers.
The marquee game, of course, features Staunton River heading to Liberty. The Eagles will attempt to top the Minutemen for the second time in three years.

The Jefferson Forest Lady Cavs punched their ticket to the State tourney by punching their way through the Blue Ridge District's best.

Over a four-evening stretch, the JF booters took on three teams from the Blue Ridge, and dispatched the trio handily.

When the lasses in red and black wrapped up this skein with a 2-0 win over Northside in Friday's regional championship bout, they finally got a chance to drink in the sweet success of winning (yet) another Region III crown.

They're starting a new tradition. Unfortunately for Liberty, the Minutemen were the first to be pilloried in that new tradition.

Jefferson Forest, which will not win a Seminole District regular season title for the first time in over two decades, took out its frustration on the Minutemen, pounding the Libertarians at Minutemen Stadium.